A Texas family sued the city of Arlington for negligence after their 3-year-old son died from exposure to a rare amoeba that was found at a public splash pad. According to the Associated Press, Bakari Williams died in the hospital on September 11, 2021 after being infected by naegleria fowleri, an amoeba which enters the body through the nose and causes rapid degeneration of the brain. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found evidence that the amoeba was present at the splash pad Bakari visited. A city official noted that a review had identified issues in their daily inspection program leading to substandard maintenance of the city’s splash pads. The city may be responsible for this incident. Unfortunately, this tragedy was entirely avoidable if the city had properly maintained the splash pad’s water.
According to the CDC, waterborne disease and outbreaks continue to occur in the United States despite advances in water management and sanitation. The CDC collects data on waterborne disease outbreaks associated with drinking water, recreational water, and other water exposures. While rare, CDC has identified thousands of waterborne illnesses over the years.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to negligently maintained facilities, contact our Houston personal injury attorneys for a free, confidential consultation.